Ngamba Island is part of the Koome group of islands located in Lake Victoria. It is approximately 23 km south-east of Entebbe. It consists of approximately 100 acres, of which 98 acres is forested and separated from the human camp by an electric fence. The northern part of the island is generally flat, rising gently to an altitude of approximately 3800 feet above sea level to the south. The island is largely forested with gaps of grassland covering approximately 10% of the island.

The Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary was established in October 1998 to care for orphaned chimpanzees that have been rescued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority from poachers and/or traders, with no chance of survival back to the wild.

The northern part of the island used to be inhabited by a local fishing community. The community had cleared approximately 2 acres of forest and selectively logged large trees from the more proximal parts of the forest. One acre of this area is now used as camp quarters for staff and researchers, whilst the remaining area, located between the forest and the viewing platform is where the chimpanzees are fed during the day.

Ngamba Island provides an excellent secondary forest habitat for the chimpanzees and other wildlife species including fruit bats, spiders, fish eagles, hippos (the only three in the area), otters, a crocodile(!) and monitor lizards.